One-track sliding vehicle

ABSTRACT

A one-track sliding vehicle or sled having a supporting frame, a steering mechanism rotatably mounted at the supporting frame, and a steering runner hingedly mounted about the horizontal axis on the steering mechanism. A sliding runner is also connected with the supporting frame by means of a bilaterally effective spring element, and guide means are provided which, together with the supporting frame and sliding runner, are approximately in the form of a parallelogram. The sliding runner and its corresponding sliding plane are mounted so that, in any operating position, they are oriented toward a base point located in the zone of the steering runner on a circular arc having a radius substantially corresponding to the shortest distance between the horizontal axis and the sliding plane of the steering runner.

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States Patent 51 ,llan..i,;;l1t

Firma Dr.-Ing. h. c. F. Porsche 1K.G., Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany22 Filed: Sept. 9, was

21 Appl.No.: 856,382

[73] Assignee:

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,218,660 6/1966 France ..280/16 Germany..280/l6 2/1953 Italy Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia AssistantExaminer-Winston H. Douglas Attorney-Craig, Antonelli & Hill A one-tracksliding vehicle or sled having a supporting frame, a steering mechanismrotatably mounted at the supporting frame, and a steering runnerhingedly mounted about the horizontal axis on the steering mechanism. Asliding runner is also connected with the supporting frame by means of abilaterally effective spring element, and guide means are providedwhich, together with the supporting frame and sliding runner, areapproximately in the form of a parallelogram. The sliding runner and itscorresponding sliding plane are mounted so that, in any operatingposition, they are oriented toward a base point located in the zone ofthe steering runner on a circular arc having a radius substantiallycorresponding to the shortest distance between the horizontal axis andthe sliding plane of the steering runner 14 Claims, 1 Drawing IFigureBACKGROUND OF THE lNVlENTlOhl The present invention relates to aone-track sliding vehicle or sled, and more particularly, a one-tracksliding vehicle comprising a supporting frame on which a steeringmechanism, a steering runner and a sliding runner are provided; thesteering mechanism is associated with the steering runner which ismounted so as to be pivotable about an axis, and the sliding runner isconstructed so as to be movable and supported by a spring element.

In a conventional sliding vehicle the steering runner and the slidingrunner are designed to be movable with respect to the supporting frame.In this arrangement, the sliding runner is attached to telescopicallycooperating bearing members which are vertically aligned and surroundedby spring elements. However, the disadvantage of this type ofconstruction is that, with an increasing stroke of the sliding runner,only the terminal zone or portion of the sliding runner surface is incontact with the ground or slides along the track. Consequently, thelateral guidance of the sliding runner is reduced during the driving ofthe sled and, thereby, has a disadvantageous effect on the steerabilityof the sliding vehicle. in addition, the guide elements of the slidingrunner in this type of construction require complicated and,accordingly, expensive structural components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTlON it is the aim of the present invention toimprove the driving and steering properties of one-track slidingvehicles of the aforementioned type in such a manner that, in anyoperating position of the sliding runner, satisfactory contact with thetrack or ground is maintained.

The foregoing is accomplished in accordance with the present inventionby hingedly connecting the sliding runner to the supporting frame sothat, in any operating position, the sliding runner is aligned ororiented with its sliding'plane always approximately with respect to abase point disposed in the proximity of the swivel axis of the steeringrunner. in this connection, it is advantageous if the base point for thesliding plane of the sliding runner is disposed in the zone of thesteering runner sliding plane. The base point is also advantageouslypositioned on a circular are having a radius which corresponds to theshortest distance between the swivel axis and the steer ing runnersliding plane. in a further embodiment of the invention, the slidingrunner is hingedly mounted to the supporting frame so as to form, bymeans of guide elements, an approximate parallelogram. in the normalposition of this type of sliding runner, the guide elements are disposedsubstantially parallel with respect to each other. The guide of thesliding runner positioned remotely from the steering mechanism isconstructed to be shorter than the other guide element.

The advantages of the present invention reside, in particu iar, in thefact that the sliding runner, in any operating position, contacts thetrack with its entire running surface, thereby ensuring satisfactorylateral guidance of the sliding runner during driving of the sled andthus having an advantageous ef feet on the steerability of the onetrackslide vehicle. The guide mechanism is formed by simple guide elementswhich can be identical in their basic construction.

BRlEF DESCRllPTlON OF THE DRAWTNG These and further features, advantagesand objects of the present invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, an embodiment inaccordance with the present invention, and wherein:

The sole FlGUl'lE illustrates a lateral view of a one-track slidingvehicle or sled in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DlEdClRlPTlON OF THE DRAWlNG Referring now to the drawing, theone-track sliding vehicle l comprises a supporting frame 2 made of asuitable plastic material and constructed as a hollow body. A transversewall 3 subdivides the supporting frame into two cavities or hollowspaces 4, 5. The cavity d is freely accessible, while the cavity 5 isclosed off by a hinged seat 6 which extends substantially over thelength of the supporting frame 2. A steering mechanism 7, which isdetachably connected with the supporting frame 2, is held in asupporting tube ll of the supporting frame 2 and comprises a steeringcolumn 9 which is provided with a steering device such as a handlebar l0at its upper end. A steering runner ll is disposed at the lower end ofthe steering column 9 and is further movably connected in a pivotablefashion with the steering column 9 by means of an axle l2. lFurther, abilaterally effective spring element l3 cooperates with the steeringrunner lll and is held in position at the steering runner by means of aquick-locking mechanism and at the steering column 9 by means of anabutment or mounting 115.

A. sliding runner lb is provided on the underside of the supportingframe 2 and is connected to the supporting frame by a guide mechanismdesignated generally by the numeral l7. The sliding runner lb iscushioned by a bilaterally acting spring element lit. The guidemechanism l7 is composed of guide elements 119, 2d, cooperating withmounting members or abutments 21, 22 and 23, 24, respectively, mountedat the supporting frame 2 and at the sliding runner lb. in basicposition of the sliding runner lib shown in full lines in the drawing,the guide elements l9, 20 extend substantially parallel with respect toeach other. The rear guide element 20, which is remotely disposed fromthe steering mechanism, is shorter than the front guide element l9 sothat, upon movement or flexing of the spring element ill of the slidingrunner l6, the sliding runner is not adjusted inparallel with respect tothe supporting frame 2 but, to the contrary, is displaced to an obliqueor skewed orientation as illustrated by the phantom lines in thedrawing.

The above arrangement and construction of the guide elements l9, 2t hasthe effect that the sliding runner lb is always approximately aligned ororiented with its sliding plane 25 to a base point an disposed in thevicinity of the swivel axis T2 of the steering runner ll. The base point26 for the sliding plane 25 of the sliding runner lid is disposed in thezone of the sliding plane of the steering runner ill. The base point 26-is advantageously located on a circular are 2% having a radius whichcorresponds to the shortest distance between the swivel axis l2 and thesliding plane 27 of the front steering runner lll.

During movement or flexing of the spring element 118 of the slidingrunner lo, the sliding plane 25 of the sliding runner 16 is, as shown inphantom lines, aligned or oriented in any position toward the base point26 independently of the respective position of the steering runner llllalong with its sliding plane 27. Thus, good contact of the slidingrunner l6 with the track along the entire length of the sliding runnerand also whereby a good lateral guidance of the sliding runner isassured upon a spring stroke of the sliding runner lb. Therefore, theconsequent advantage obtained is that the sliding vehicle hasconsiderably improved steering properties as compared with the sleds ofprevious constructions.

While l have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications asknown to a person skilled in the art, and I, therefore, do not wish tobe limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to coverall such changes and modifications as encompassed by the scope of theinvention.

l claim:

l. A one-track sliding vehicle having a supporting frame, a steeringmechanism being operatively associated with said lnuun supporting frame,a steering runner adapted to be pivotably mounted with respect to saidsteering mechanism, and a sliding runner having a sliding plane andbeing movably supported with respect to said supporting frame,characterized in that means are provided for orienting said slidingrunner and the sliding plane of said sliding runner, in any operatingposition, approximately toward a point disposed in the proximity of theswivel axis of the steering runner.

2. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 1, wherein saidsteering runner is hingedly connected at said steering mechanism.

3. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim l, further includingspring means for movably supporting said sliding runner with respect tosaid supporting frame.

4. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 3, wherein saidsliding runner is adapted to be pivotably connected at said supportingframe.

5. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 4, wherein saidsteering runner is adapted to be hingedly connected about an axis atsaid steering mechanism.

6. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 4, further includingguide means for hingedly connecting said sliding runner at saidsupporting frame whereby said sliding runner, said supporting frame andsaid guide means together form an approximate parallelogram.

7. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 6, wherein saidsteering runner is adapted to be hingedly connected about an axis atsaid steering mechanism.

8. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said guidemeans are approximately parallel with respect to each other when saidsliding runner is in a normal position.

9. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 7, wherein one of saidguide means is disposed remotely from said steering mechanism and isadapted to be shorter than another of said guide means disposed closerto said steering mechanism.

10. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said guidemeans are approximately parallel with respect to each other when saidsliding runner is in a normal position.

11. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim I, wherein said pointis located on a circular are having a radius substantially correspondingto the shortest distance between said axis and the sliding plane of saidsteering runner.

12. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said pointis located ona circular arc having a radius substantially correspondingto the shortest distance between said axis and the sliding plane of saidsteering runner.

13. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 12, wherein saidguide means are approximately parallel with respect to each other whensaid sliding runner is in a normal position.

14. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 13, wherein one ofsaid guide means is disposed remotely from said steering mechanism andis adapted to be shorter than another of said guide means disposedcloser to said steering mechanism.

1. A one-track sliding vehicle having a supporting frame, a steeringmechanism being operatively associated with said supporting frame, asteering runner adapted to be pivotably mounted with respect to saidsteering mechanism, and a sliding runner having a sliding plane andbeing movably supported with respect to said supporting frame,characterized in that means are provided for orienting said slidingrunner and the sliding plane of said sliding runner, in any operatingposition, approximately toward a point disposed in the proximity of theswivel axis of the steering runner.
 2. A one-track sliding vehicleaccording to claim 1, wherein said steering runner is hingedly connectedat said steering mechanism.
 3. A one-track sliding vehicle according toclaim 1, further including spring means for movably supporting saidsliding runner with respect to said supporting frame.
 4. A one-tracksliding vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said sliding runner isadapted to be pivotably connected at said supporting frame.
 5. Aone-track sliding vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said steeringrunner is adapted to be hingedly connected about an axis at saidsteering mechanism.
 6. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 4,further including guide means for hingedly connecting said slidingrunner at said supporting frame whereby said sliding runner, saidsupporting frame and said guide means together form an approximateparallelogram.
 7. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 6,wherein said steering runner is adapted to be hingedly connected aboutan axis at said steering mechanism.
 8. A one-track sliding vehicleaccording to claim 7, wherein said guide means are approximatelyparallel with respect to each other when said sliding runner is in anormal position.
 9. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 7,wherein one of said guide means is disposed remotely from said steeringmechanism and is adapted to be shorter than another of said guide meansdisposed closer to said steering mechanism.
 10. A one-track slidingvehicle according to claim 9, wherein said guide means are approximatelyparallel with respect to each other when said sliding runner is in anormal position.
 11. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 1,wherein said point is located on a circular arc having a radiussubstantially corresponding to the shortest distance between said axisand the sliding plane of said steering runner.
 12. A one-track slidingvehicle according to claim 1, wherein said point is located on acircular arc having a radius substantially corresponding to the shortestdistance between said axis and the sliding plane of said steeringrunner.
 13. A one-track sliding vehicle according to claim 12, whereinsaid guide means are approximately parallel with respect to each otherwhen said sliding runner is in a nOrmal position.
 14. A one-tracksliding vehicle according to claim 13, wherein one of said guide meansis disposed remotely from said steering mechanism and is adapted to beshorter than another of said guide means disposed closer to saidsteering mechanism.